The supplement N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is shown in research to build lean muscle mass and enhance athletic performance. However, a recent clinical trial has revealed NAC’s potential to treat drug and behavioral addictions such as gambling.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota (UM) uncovered this link following an 8-week trial involving 27 people who were given various doses of NAC. By the end of the first part of the study, 60% of the participants reported having less urges to gamble.

Thirteen of the 16 participants who responded to supplementation the first time around agreed to continue in the double-blind study for an additional six weeks. Of these, over 83% who received the supplement continued to report fewer urges to gamble and nearly 70% of those who took the placebo went back to gambling.

NAC is thought to exert its impact on the chemicals in the brain that are associated with reward.

Problem gambling doesn’t come cheap. The annual cost to society in the United States is at least 5 billion dollars, every year.

Like any addiction, treatment for compulsive gambling is complicated because people often have difficulty admitting their problem and shy away from traditional treatments such as psychotherapy or self-help groups. According to the researchers, this is where dietary supplementation has clear potential.

In this study, NAC supplementation was able to reduce the urge to gamble in some people. Similar studies have shown NAC's ability to curb drug addictions in animals. According to this report, the findings from this trial are encouraging for treating a number of addictions.